whiton



(No Model.)

W. P. WHITON.

SPOKE SOCKET.

No. 339,721. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

m 0 Eu w F UNITED STATES \VA LTER F. \VHITON,

PATENT OFFICE.

or mason, MAINE.

SPOKE-SOCKET.

sPEcIi-"IcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,721. dated April1885- Applieatlon filed January 15, 1886. Serial No. 188,6.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VAUPER F. \VHITON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bangor, in the county of lcnobscot and State of Maine, haveinvented a new and useful Spoke Socket and Tenon; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved socket and tcuon for the spokes ofvehicle-wheels, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Fignre .l. is an isometric view of spoke-socket turned upward.Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the form of bolt shown in Figs. 3 and 4.Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the center of the spoke, showing allthe parts in position. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showingall the parts in position. Fig. 5 is a sectional view 'of a second formof my device through the center of the spoke, showing all the parts inposition. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the form of bolt shown in Fig.5. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a third form of my de vice through thecenter of the spoke, showing all the parts in position. Fig. 8 is afront elevation of the form of bolt shown in Fig. 7.

Similar letters refer to corresponding parts throughout the severalfigures.

The object of my invention is to provide a device whereby the size ofthe mortises for the reception of the spokes in the felly of the wheelmay be reduced to a minimum, the necessity of the shoulders commonlyformed around such lnortises obviated, the tenons wholly omitted fromthe exterior ends'of the spokes, or, when not omitted, clasped, braced,and supported in such a manner as to prevent their wearing and rattlingin their sockets, and thus, speaking generally, to produce a strongerand better wheel.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, I provide a metallicsocket, A, preferably of steel, consisting of the spoke-sockct proper,a, rim or plate a, and hub a, all being preferably formed integral. Thepart a is shaped to receive the tenon or point of the spoke S, and fromand around its exterior surface, at or near its base, projects the rimor plate a, shaped to fit and bear upon the [No model.)

inner edge of the felly F and lap over its sides, if desired. The underside of the base of the socket a may be convexed, to conform to thecurve of the inner edge of the folly, or may be slightly prolonged inits cylindrical shape below the bottom of the plate a, as shown in thefigures above referred to. From the center of the under side of the baseof the socket a, and in the direction of its longitudinal axis, isprojected the hub c, of lesser diameter than the socket a, andpreferably countersunk at its exterior end. The felly is correspondinglymortised to receive the hub u", and when the prolonged socket is used,to receive such prolongation also. The length of the hub a is notinvariable; but I. prefer to construct it of a length somewhat less thanhalf the thickness of the folly. I further provide a metallic bolt, ill,fitting the hub a, having a screwthreaded point, I), and a head, 1),preferably countersunk,) near the midlength of its stem, and whencountersunk adapted to iit a corresponding countersink in the exteriorend of the hub a.

In operation the spoke-socket A is litted upon the exterior-end of thespoke S, or when the end of the spoke is tenoncd, upon the tenon. Thepoint I) of the bolt is introduced through the bore of the hub a andscrewed into the spoke S, which is bored to receive it until the head I)of the bolt rests upon the exterior end of the hub. The end of the spokeis thus drawn tightly against the bottom of thesocket a, and the spokeS, spokesocket A, and bolt B are firmly held together, and theportion 1) of the bolt projecting above the bolt-head I)for1ns,esscntially,aienon to the spoke,or a continuationof the tcnon,il'the spoke be tenoned, the felly being mortised to receive the part b" ofthe bolt, and the hub u." (and also the prolongation of the socketproper, a, when such prolongation is used) is then littcd upon the partb of the bolt, which part is prefer ably formed of suliicient lengthjust to fall short of reaching the outer surface of the fell y,althougl1,if desired, it may be made of somewhat lesser length, in whichcase the morliscs need not extend through the whole thickness of thefelly.

The form shown in Figs. 5 and t differs from that before describedsimply in forming an internal screw throughcnlt the whole length of KOOthe bore of the hub a, and a corresponding external screw,b",upon thestem of the bolt B, extending from immediately beneath the head I) for adistance substantially equal to the length ofthc bore ofthehub, omittingthe screwthreading beyond the point thus reached and leaving the roundpoint bof the boltsmooth. In this form the bolt B screws into the huba",as shown in Fig. 5. and not into the spoke, which is simply bored toreceive the round point b" of the bolt. The bolt still serves as a teuonto the spoke or as a continuation of the tenon when the spokeis teuoned,but ceases to draw and hold the external end ofthe spoke to the bottomof the socket a. A substitute for this form may be produced byFormingthe bolt and socket integral; but I should not consider-itsodesirable as that l havedcseribed, as it would poss less strength.

The form shown in Figs. Tandtidillers from that first described simplyin the substitution of a common serewbolt with common head, stenuandthreaded point for the screw-bolt shown in Fig. 2. lhe spoke-socket usedis that shown in Fig. l, and the application of this form is shown inFig. 7, (the screw-bolt itself being represented in Fig. 8, l) the threaded point screwing into the spoke as in the first form, but the headof the screw,which is pro fez-ably ctmntersunk, bearing upon acorresponding countersink in the outer edge of the folly instead of thehub. the telly, substantially in the same way as by the form shown inFigs. 2; and l,w.ith the added advantage that when, owing to shrinkageor warping of the t'ellies,it becomes necessary to remove and reset theti res of the wheel, a slight turning of the screw-bolts, together withthe usual kcriing at the junctions of the ends of the fellics, leavesthe wheel ready for the reception of the tire after it has been upset inthe usual way.

3y means of my device I obviate the necessity of forming shouldersaround the morlises of the telly, thus greatly simplifyingthcconstruction of the telly. I materially reduce the size otsuchniortiscs, this becoming possible by reason of the metallic bolt 13being substituted for the wooden tenon of the spoke, as

whole operation of tcnoning the spoke, and I hold the spoke orspokc-tenon immovably in its socket, thus preventing rattling and wearfrom the constant jar and strain unavoidable in the use of wheeledvehicles, and I produce a stronger and neaterwheelthan those in commonuse.

I am aware that sockets for the spokes of wheels are not new, andtherefore I do not claim a spoke-socket, broadly; nordo I elaim,broad-1y, securing the spoke in the mortise of the folly by ascre\v-bolt,either with or without a spoke-socket; but

\Vhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the spoke and folly 01 a wheel, a spokcsockcthaving a rim or plate surrounding its outer periphery at or near itsbase, and a hub projecting from the under side of the base of the socketproper and in continuation thereof, and a bolt fitting said hubhavingahead near the mid-length of its stem, and a screw-threaded point,so that the portion of the stem above the head may projectbcyond theexterior end of the hub when the parts are adjusted together and serveas a tcnon or a continuation of the tenon ot" the spoke. substantiallyas described.

.2. In combination with the spoke and telly of a wheel, a spoke-sockethaving a rim or plate surrounding its outer periphery at or near itsbase, and a hub projecting from the under side of the base of the socketproper and in continuation thereof, said hub having an Thespokc is heldin internal screw-thrczuled bore, and a bolt fitting the bore of saidhub and having a round point, a head near its mid-length, and anexternal screw-thread below such head for a distance substantially equalto the length of the bore of said hub and corresponding to the internalthread of the bore thereof, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the spoke and l'elly of a wheel, a spoke-sockethaving a rim or plate surrounding its outer periphery at or near itsbase, and a hub projecting from the under side of the base of the socketproper and in continuation thereof, and a bolt having a countersunkhead, a screw-threaded point engaging with thcend of the spoke, and asmooth stem litting thebore of said hub, substantially as described.commonly used.) \Vhen desired, I save the \VALTER F. \VHITUN.\Vitncsses:

W31. FLOWER, A. J. CHAPMAN.

